Mobile communications devices, such as personal digital assistants, smart phones, and the like which are not normally connected to a communications network often require periodic synchronization of business data with a central data repository (or one or more data repositories, systems, etc.). Such synchronization typically involves the download of data from the central data repository and the upload of either all business data from the mobile communications device or all business data associated with transactions that occurred subsequent to a last synchronization.
In some circumstances, the need may arise to only selectively synchronize or upload data. For example, a sales representative that typically synchronizes his personal digital assistant with a central data repository using a LAN connection, may obtain an urgent sales order while visiting a client. In order to ensure the order is rapidly processed, the sales representative may connect his personal digital assistant to the central data repository using a mobile phone or another bandwidth limited conduit. However, with conventional arrangements, all modifications since a previous synchronization operation are typically transmitted to the central data repository. As a result, information not germane to the sales order is also transmitted thereby increasing bandwidth consumption and an amount of time to process the sales order.